Saka
/ˈsɑː.kə/noun
A member of the ancient Iranian-speaking peoples whom Persian sources called the Saka, broadly associated with the Scythian cultures of Central Asia.
Did you know?The name Saka appears in Achaemenid royal inscriptions, including the Behistun Inscription, where different Saka groups are listed among the peoples of the Persian Empire.
Etymological Timeline
1st Millennium BCE
Old Persian
Sakā
“The name used in Persian inscriptions for several nomadic Iranian peoples north and east of the empire.”
6th–4th Century BCE
Old Persian
Sakā tigraxaudā
““Saka wearing pointed hats,” a specifically identified group depicted in Achaemenid imperial records.”
5th Century BCE
Ancient Greek
Σάκαι (Sakai)
“The Greek rendering of the Persian name for the Saka peoples.”
Ancient Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Śaka
“A term for the Śaka peoples, later also associated with the Śaka era and Indo-Scythian rulers.”
3rd Century BCE–3rd Century CE
Greek and Latin
Sacae
“A classical ethnonym used in Greek and Roman writing for eastern Scythian peoples.”
Modern English
English
Saka
“The standard modern historical form for the ancient Iranian-speaking peoples named in Persian sources.”